The benefits of the football team's ascension to bowl eligibility are obvious – playing a quality opponent in a destination, exposure of the program, 15 extra practices and lifelong memories, and that's before they players open their gift bags. What may not be as apparent is the ripple effect throughout the rest of the athletics department.

SU basketball coach Jim Boeheim has won 832 games and has competed in 27 NCAA tournaments, winning one. In his roughly 50 years on campus, he hasn't missed many home football games and feels as though his team and others can learn from the gridiron Orange.

“The success they've had and how they've battled has been a lesson for everybody . It doesn't matter what people think or what people predict,” Boeheim said.  “They were predicted to win three or four games if they were lucky and they've already won seven games. I think it's a good lesson for everybody that anything is possible.”

Boeheim (2010 national coach of the year) isn't the only one drawing something from Doug Marrone, his staff and players:

2008 Big East women's basketball coach of the year Quentin Hillsman:
I've gone down and I've watched how he runs practice. I've watched he gets his guys to answer to his command. From a coaching standpoint, I've gotten a lot from it. When you see the resurgence and the way those young men carry themselves around campus, it's contagious to our girls and to the whole culture of the department.

2009-10 Northeast cross country coach of the year Chris Fox:
Not only were we happy for them and the University, but that all trickles down to us. The more we're in a positive light in the media, it's a positive thing for us. Basketball and football help us do a better job recruiting.
When we walked in here, it was like when coach Marrone walked into what he walked into. You weren't going to win the first year, maybe not the second year, although he is. We kind of made that move too and by the third year we had established ourselves. The better they are, the better it is for all of us. Kids look at us as a more legitimate athletic place.

Happy Birthday: After three games in five days, it's an off day for men's basketball. Happy Birthday to Hall-of-Fame coach Jim Boeheim.

Manley Multitudes: When you see how much the renovated Manley Field House practice facility is used now, you wonder how life went on without it. Especially on a rainy day like this one, the building buzzes with activity. Football uses the building as it needs to, and may center its bowl preparation there.

Virtually around the clock, individual softball players are hitting off a tee in a batting cage that runs parallel to the field. Meanwhile, sprinters loosen up on the opposite side and soccer players practice penalty kicks.

This Week's Broadcasts:
Tonight/8:00p    TK99/97.7    AmeriCU Doug Marrone Show (guest: defensive coordinator Scott Shafer)
Thu./8:45a          TK99             Win tickets on Free Parking with Gomez & Dave
Thu./7:00p          TWCS           Syracuse Sidelines
Thu./7:00p          TK99/97.7    AmeriCU Jim Boeheim Show at Delmonico's (Erie Blvd.)
Sat./4:00p           TK99/97.7    FB vs. Connecticut
Sun./12:30p        TK99/97.7   MBB vs. William & Mary
Saturday's TV: ESPNU (Clay Matvick and Coach Marrone's former boss with the Jets Herm Edwards)